Mechanism for gently engaging and feeding fragile articles



May 27, 1952 H. J. PAYNTER ET AL MECHANISM FOR GENTLY ENGAGING AND FEEDING FRAGILE ARTICLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 8, 1948 INVEgOR.

M KAN A TTCJeA/EYS M y 1952 H. J. PAYNTER Er AL, 2,597,900

MECHANISM FOR GENTLY ENGAGING AND FEEDING FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 8, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 .ZZ fjg 2 I I V E TOR. M

y 1952 H. J. PAYNTER El AL 2,597,900

MECHANISM FOR GENTLY ENGAGING AND FEEDING FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed Dec. 8, 1948 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. w by XAJLZ; xvii A Tree/Mfrs May 27, 1952 H. J. PAYNTER El AL MECHANISM FOR GENTLY ENGAGING AND' FEEDING FRAGILE ARTICLES 5 sheets-sheet 4 Filed Dec. 8, 1948 Patented May 27, 1952 MECHANISM FOR GENTLY ENGAGING AND FEEDING FRAGILE ARTICLES Horace J. Paynter, Union, and Fritz Derrer, West Orange, N. J assignors to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 8, 1948, Serial No. 64,182

11 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a mechanism for feeding fragile articles such as container bodies from a stack of such articles and has particular reference to devices for and a method of softening the impact between the feeding elements and the articles during removal of the articles from the stack.

An object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism for and a method of feeding fragile articles from a stack wherein initial engagement of an article to be removed from the stack is effected slowly and gently so that distortion, breakage or other damage to the article is prevented.

Another object is the provision of such a feeding mechanism and method wherein an initially engaged article may be gradually accelerated to a speed equal to that of a main feeding element for continued feeding by the main feeding element.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a side view of one form of feeding mechanism for carrying out the method steps of the instant invention, with parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 in Fig. l, with parts broken away;

Fig. 3 is a reduced scale longitudinal section taken substantially along the broken line 3--3 in Fig. 2 with parts broken away;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective detail, with parts broken away and parts shown in section;

Fig. 5 is a reduced scale sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 in Fig. 2, with part broken away; and

Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive are enlarged schematic views showing certain of the parts of the mechanism in different positions for feeding articles from a stack.

As a preferred and exemplary embodiment of the invention the drawings illustrate a feeding mechanism for feeding container bodies A (Fig. 1) individually and in timed order from the bottom of a stack of such bodies, for further advancement in timed order as an incident in the fabrication of a container. The container bodies A preferably are made of fibre material and are rectangular in shape with both ends open. such a container body is exceedingly fragile and must 2 be handled carefully until reenforced by the application of its end members in a subsequent operation.

In the mechanism the stack of bodies A is disposed in an upright position in a magazine ll (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) defined by a plurality of upright guide rails l2 secured to brackets 13 bolted to a cover portion [4 of a pair of side frames I5 which constitute the main frame of the mechanism. The ends of the magazine are open for replenishing the stack from the top and for feeding the container bodies from the bottom of the stack.

The container bodies A are fed from the bottom of the magazine ll individually by a plurality of feeding elements or fingers ll (see Figs. 2 and 3) which are radially disposed between and rotate with a pair of spaced and parallel rotatable conveyors or advancing turrets [8 located in a vertical position under the magazine. The turrets are formed on a common hub l9 which is mounted on and keyed to a continuously rotatable drive shaft 2| journaled in bearings 22, 213 formed in the side frames [5. The drive shaft 2| may be rotated in any suitable manner in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figs. 1 and 3.

The outer peripheries of the turret 18 are formed with a plurality of spaced and transversely aligned advancing pockets 25 for receiving the bodies from the feeding fingers IT and for advancing them in timed order to a suitable place of deposit. Between these pockets the peripheries of the turrets are formed with curved support edges 26 for supporting and gradually lowering the stack of bodies during the removal of the lowermost body in the stack by the feeding fingers i1. For this purpose the support edges 26 recede from a high point 21 adjacent the following edge of each pocket to a low point 28 adjacent the leading edge of the next following or subsequent pocket.

There is one feeding finger I! for each aligned set of pockets 25 in the turrets I8. The outer end of each finger I1 is formed with an L shaped or substantially right angular jaw 3| (see also Fig. 4) for engaging and feeding the lowermost container body A from the magazine II. The inner ends of the feeding fingers I! are formed with a slotted slide member or yoke 32 which straddles and is radially movable on a guide block 33 freely mounted on a stationary rod 34 fixed in and extending through the spaced turrets I8 adjacent the drive shaft 2|. The yoke 32 and the guide block 33 occupy substantially the entire space be tween the turrets [8 so as to properly guide each of the feeding fingers l1. With such a mounting the feed fingers are free to shift radially and to also rock angularly on the rods 3%.

Provision is made for shifting each of the feed fingers H, as mentioned above, under controlled action, as they rotate with the turrets l8 past the magazine H to soften the impact of the fingers against the container body A during removal of the body from the magazine. For this purpose each feed finger I! is provided with an actuating arm 36 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4). One end of each arm 36 is mounted on a pivot pin 3? carried in its associated finger intermediate the ends of the finger. The opposite end of each arm 33 is secured to a short pivot shaft 38 carried in a bearing 39 formed in one of the turrets l8. Beyond the bearing 39, on the outside of the turret l3, the pivot shaft 38 is secured to a cam arm 4| (see also Fig. 1) which carries a cam roller 42 which operates in a cam groove 43 of a stationary face cam 44. The cam surrounds the drive shaft 2i and is bolted to the inner face of the drive shaft bearing 23.

Hence as the turrests |8 rotate, they carry the feed fingers I! with them around a circular path of travel and cause the cam rollers 42 to traverse the cam groove 43. The cam groove 43 for its major portion is concentric with the turret drive shaft 2|. As a cam roller 42 traverses this concentric portion of the cam it holds its associated feed finger H in a normal position with its feeding jaw 3| in substantial transverse alignment with the advancing pockets 25 of the turrets I B as shown in the majority of the pockets in Fig. 3. In this relation the feed jaws travel with the pockets 25 at the uniform rate of speed of the turrets i8.

However, as an empty pocket 25 approaches the magazine H (see Fig. 3) to receive and advance a container body A, the speed of travel of the feed jaw 3| is greatly accelerated and the jaw is thus thrust forward in advance of its associated pocket 25 to a position best shown in Fig. 6. This acceleration of the feed jaw 3| is brought about by the cam roller 82 traversing an outwardly curved portion 41 (see also Fig. l) of the cam "groove 43. The feed jaw effects this forward thrust while being propelled by the turret -|3 to which it is connected by way of its actuating arm 36 and its yoke 32.

The forward thrust of the feeding jaw 3| terminates just before the jaw engages the lowermost container body A in the magazine'and in a predetermined relation to the body as shown in Fig. 6. At the termination of this forward thrust and as the feeding finger continues to move forward with the turret H5 at its uniform rate of advancement, the feeding jaw immediately starts a receding or decelerating movement away from the container body and toward the pocket 25. At first this decelerating action is rapid but less than the rate of travel of the forward moving pocket 25. As the decelerating action continues, the rate of deceleration of the feeding jaw is reduced to effect a slowing of the jaw. about by an inwardly curved portion 48 of the cam groove 43 and forms a continuation of the outwardly curved portion (see Fig. 7). This inwardly curved portion 58 of the cam groove merges into the concentric major portion of the groove.

The result of this forward thrust of the feeding jaw 3| and its immediate rapid decelerated action while traveling forward with the turrets H! is to substantially nullify or greatly reduce This is brought momentarily the forward travel of the feeding jaw immediately before contact of the jaw with the body so that upon contact the jaw will be traveling very slowly and will therefore engage the body gently and start its removal from the magazine slowly and gently. This contact of the jaw with the body is made during the first or rapidly decelerating portion of the cycle of operation as the cam roller 42 begins its travel along the sharply inclined section of the cam groove portion 48 as best shown in Fig. 7.

As the cam roller 42 continues to traverse the less inclined section of the cam groove portion 48 it gradually reduces or slows the rate of deceleration of the feed jaw 3|. This permits the jaw 3| to gradually accelerate the rate of speed of the container body A being removed from the bottom of the magazine. However the rate of acceleration of the body is less than the constant or uniform speed of travel of the pocket 25.

Hence the pocket 25 gradually catches up with the feed jaw 3| and its body A and just as the accelerating rate of travel of the body reaches or nearly reaches the uniform travel of the pocket, the pocket receives the body from the jaw and thereafter continued advancement of the body is effected by the turrets I8 at their uniform rate of travel.

In this manner the transfer of the body from the feeding jaw 3| to the turret advancing pockets 25 is effected gently and without damage to the fragile body. This gradual acceleration of the body during its removal from the magazine II and its transfer to the turret pockets 25 is clearly shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10.

During the gradual removal of a container body A from the magazine it is supported adjacent one corner by the feed jaw 3|. Its opposite or leading corner is supported on the receding support edges 26 of the turrets l8 as best shown in Fig. '7. Since the turrets rotate at a uniform speed which is faster than the forward accelerating movement of the body, the leading corner of the body slides along the receding support edges 26 and the body is thus lowered gradually and gently into the pockets 25 of the turrets (see Figs. 8, 9 and 10). Due to the manner in which the feeding finger I1 is mounted between the turrets I8, the finger and the jaw 3| formed thereon move radially under the control of the cam roller 42 and this permits the jaw to lower its supported side of the body in time with that portion of the body supported on the turret edges 26.

As the lowermost body in the stack moves outwardly and downwardly for reception in the turret pockets 25, the stack moves down in the magazine, still supported by the lowermost body as best shown in Figs. '7, 8 and 9 until the high point 21 of the receding support edges .26 of the turrets pass under the magazine as shown in Fig. 9. With this high point 21' of the turrets in place under the magazine, the support of the stack is transferred to the support edges 26 as best shown in Fig. 10 when the lowermost body is completely clear of the stack. The body thus supported on the turret edges 26 now becomes the lowermost body and is lowered with the remainder of the stack as the turrets rotate to position this body for a subsequent removal from the magazine by the next approaching pocket 25 and its feeding jaw 3|.

A container body A upon being received in a pocket 25 of the turrets I8 is advanced along a curved path of travel toward a transfer wheel comprising a pair of integral spaced and parallel discs (Figs. 1' and 3). Curved guide rails 52 disposed adjacent the turrets l8 guide the bodies and retain them in theinpockets 25 as they are advanced.

The transfer wheel discs 5| are formed with spaced pockets 54 for receiving the moving bodies from the advancing turrets I8 and for conveying" direction and at the proper speed by an endless drive chain 51* (Figs. 2 and'5) which operates over a sprocket 58 mounted on the shaft 56. The chain is driven by a sprocket 59 which rotates on an idler pin 6! carried in a boss 62 formed in one of the side frames I5. The sprocket 59 in turn is driven by a gear 63 which is formed integrally with the sprocket and which meshes with a gear 54 mounted on and driven by the main drive shaft 2 I.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of parts of the apparatus mentioned herein and in the steps and their order of accomplishment of the process described herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the apparatus and process hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

We claim:

1. In a mechanism for feeding fragile articles from a stack, the combination of a magazine for holding the stack of articles, feeding means movable past said magazine for engaging and removing an article therefrom, actuating means for imparting a variable forward movement to said feeding means to advance the feeding means slowly into engagement with the article to be removed and after engagement increasing the movement of said feeding means to advance the article at an accelerated predetermined speed, and article advancing means carrying said feeding means freely mounted thereon, said advancing means being movable at said predetermined speed for receiving said article and continuing its movement for subsequent treatment.

2. In a mechanism for feeding fragile articles from a stack, the combination of a magazine for holding the stack ofarticles, article advancing means movable past said magazine, feeding means carried by and movable with said advanc ing means for initially engaging and removing an article from said magazine and for delivering it to said advancing means, and actuating means connected with said feeding means for shifting said feeding means relative to said advancing means for moving said feeding means slowly and gently into engagement with the article to be removed from said magazine and for accelerating the rate of movement of said article to the speed of said advancing means for removing the article from the magazine and for delivering it gently to said advancing means.

3. In a mechanism for feeding fragile articles from a stack, the combination of a magazine for holding the stack of articles, article advancing means movable at a constant speed of travel past said magazine, feeding means freely mounted on said advancing means and movable relative thereto for engaging and removing an article from said magazine and for delivering it to said advancing means, and actuating means for shifting said feeding means relative to said advancing means for moving said feeding means slowly and gently into engagement with the article to be removed from said magazine and for accelerating the rate of movement of said article to the speed of said advancing means for removing the article from the magazine and for delivering it gently to said advancing means.

4. In a mechanism for feeding fragile articles from a stack, the combination of a magazine for holding the stack of articles, article advancing means movable at a constant speed of travel pastsaid magazine, feeding means freely mounted onsaidv advancing means and movable relative thereto for engaging and removing an article from said magazine and for delivering it to said advancing means, and actuating means operableagainst said feeding means and thrusting said feeding means in advance of said advancing means and returning said feeding means to- Ward said advancing means in an initial rapid decelerating action immediately followed by a gradual decelerating action for effecting initial engagement of the article to be removed by said feeding means slowly and gently to protect said article against damage and for accelerating the movement :of said engaged article to the speed of said advancing means for removing the article from the magazine and'for delivering it gently to said advancing means.

5. In a mechanism for feeding fragile articles from a stack,.the combination of a magazine for holding the stack of articles, an article advancing turret having an article receiving pocket, said turretbeing rotatable at a constant speed adjacent said magazine, a feeding finger freely mounted on said turret and movable therewith, said feeding finger having a feed jaw normally disposed adjacent said turret pocket and movable relative thereto for engaging and removing an article from said magazine and for delivering it into said pocket, and jaw actuating means operable against said feed finger and thrusting said feed jaw in advance of said turret pocket and returning said feed jaw toward said pocket in an initial rapid decelerating action immediately followed by a gradual decelerating action for effecting initial engagement of the article to be removed by said feed jaw slowly and gently to protect said article against damage and for thereafter accelerating the movement of said engaged article to the speed of said turret for removingthe article from the magazine and for delivering it gently into said turret pocket for further advancement. 1

6; In a mechanism for feeding fragile articles from a stack, the combination of a magazine for holding the stack of articles, an article advancing turret having a plurality of article receiving pockets spaced around its periphery, said turret being rotatable at a constant speed adjacent said magazine, a plurality of feeding fingers freely mounted on and movable with said turret and located one adjacent each pocket, said feeding fingers having a feed jaw normally disposed adjacent said turret pockets and movable relative thereto for engaging and removing articles in succession and in timed order from said magazine and for delivering them into said pockets, and jaw actuating means operable against said feed fingers and thrusting said feed jaws in advance of said turret pockets and returning said feed jaws toward said pockets in an initial rapid decelerating action immediately followed by a gradual decelerating action for effecting initial engagement of the article to be removed by a said feed jaw slowly and gently to protect said article against damage and for thereafter accelerating the movement of said engaged article to the speed of said turret for removing the article from the magazine and for delivering it gently into said turret pocket for further advancement.

'7. In a mechanism for feeding fragile articles from a stack, the combination of a magazine for holding the stack of articles, an article advancing turret having an article receiving pocket, said turret being rotatable at a constant speed ad jacent said magazine, a feeding finger freely mounted on said turret and equipped with a feed jaw normally disposed adjacent said turret pocket and having radial and angular movement relative thereto for engaging and removing an article from said magazine and for delivering it into said pocket, said feeding finger having a yoke and pin connecting with said turret for guiding said jaw in a radial direction, an actuating arm pivotally connected with said finger and with said turret for moving said finger and its feed jaw in an angular direction, a cam arm connected with said actuating arm and carrying a cam roller, and a stationary actuating cam having a cam groove for said cam roller, said cam controlling the actuation of said finger and thrusting said feed jaw in advance of said turret pocket and returning said feed jaw toward said pocket in an initial rapid decelerating action immediately followed by a gradual decelerating action for effecting initial engagement of the article to be removed by said feed 'jaw slowly and gently to protect said article against damage and for thereafter accelerating the movement of said engaged article to the speed of said turret for removing the article from the magazine and for delivering it gently into said turret pocket for further advancement.

8. In a mechanism for feeding fragile articles from a stack, the combination of a magazine for holding the stack of articles, an article advancing turret disposed below said magazine and being rotatable at a constant speed, said turret having a plurality of article receiving pockets spaced around its periphery and having support edges extending between said pockets, said support edges receding from a leading pocket toward a following pocket for supporting the stack of articles as the lowermost article in the stack.

is removed therefrom and for lowering the lowermost article into its pocket in time with the rotation of said turret, feeding means movable with said turret for initially engaging and removing said lowermost article from said magazine and for delivering it into a pocket of said turret, said feeding means having a supporting element cooperating with said turret support edges for supporting said lowermost article during removal of the article from the magazine and its delivery into said turret pocket, and actuating means for shifting said feeding means relative to said turret pockets for moving said feeding means slowly and gently into engagement with said lowermost article andfor thereafter gradually accelerating therate of movement of said article to the speed of said turret for gently removing the article from the magazine and, for gently delivering it into a said turret pocket for advancement with said turret.

9. In a mechanism for feeding fragile articles from'a stack, the combination of a magazine for holding the stack of articles, article lowerin means for gradually lowering into feeding position the lowermost article in the stack, feeding means movable past said magazine for engagmg and removing the positioned article therefrom, actuating means for moving said feeding means slowly into engagement with the positioned article to be removed, said actuating means thereafter increasing the movement of said feedin means to advance the engaged article at an accelerated predetermined speed, and article advancing means carrying said article lowering means thereon and being movable at said predetermined speed for receiving said article and continuing its movement for subsequent treatment.

10. In a mechanism for feeding fragile articles from a stack, the combination of a magazine for holding the stack of articles, feeding means movable past said magazine for engaging and remov ing an article therefrom, actuating means for moving said feeding means slowly into engagement with the article to be removed, said actuating means thereafter controlling the movement of said feeding means to advance the article at an accelerated predetermined speed, article advancing means movable at said predetermined speed for receiving said article and continuing its movement for subsequent treatment, and means on said article advancing means and engageable under the stack of articles for supporting the stack during removal of the lowermost article therefrom and for gradually lowering into feeding position for subsequent removal the article next above the article being removed.

11. In a mechanism for feeding fragile articles from a stack, the combination of a magazine for holding the stack of articles, feeding means movable past said magazine for engaging and removing an article therefrom, actuating means for moving said feeding means slowly into engagement with the article to be removed, said actuating means thereafter controlling the movement of said feeding means to advance the article at an accelerated predetermined speed, article ad vancing means movable at said predetermined speed and carrying said feeding means for receiving said article from said feeding means and continuing its movement for subsequent treatment, and means for discharging the advanced article from said advancing means.

HORACE J. PAYNTER. FRITZ DERRER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,886,378 Dearsley Nov. 8, 1932 1,920,563 Jahne Aug. 1, 1933 1,985,897 Huntar Jan. 1, 1935 2,007,981 Nordquist July 16, 1935 

